CHAP. X.] SCIENTIFIC WORK. 293 



class is small and not bright, but I am going to give them 

 plenty to do from the first, and I find it a good plan. I 

 have a large attendance of my old pupils, who go on with 

 the higher subjects. This is not part of the College course, 

 so they come merely from choice, and I have begun with 

 the least amusing part of what I intend to give them. 

 Many had been reading in summer, for they did very good 

 papers for me on the old subjects at the beginning of the 

 month. Most of my spare time I have been doing Saturn's 

 Kings, which is getting on now, but lately I have had a 

 great many long letters to write, some to G-lenlair, some to 

 private friends, and some all about science. ... I have had 

 letters from Thomson and Challis about Saturn from Hay-- 

 ward of Durham University about the brass top, of which he 

 wants one. He says that the Earth has been really found 

 to change its axis regularly in the way I supposed. Fara- 

 day has also been writing about his own subjects. I have 

 had also to write Forbes a long report on colours, so that for 

 every note I have got I have had to write a couple of sheets 

 in reply, and reporting progress takes a deal of writing and 

 spelling. . . . 



I have had two students' teas, at which I am becoming 

 expert. I have also indulged in long walks, and have seen 

 more of the country. The evenings are beautiful at this 

 season. There have been some very fine waves on the cliffs 

 south of the Dee. 



To THE KEY. L. CAMPBELL. 

 (On taking Priest's Orders). 



0* 



129 Union Street, Aberdeen, 

 22d Dec. 1857. 



I take for granted that sometime on Sunday last you 

 entered the second of the ecclesiastical transformations. 

 May your life and doctrine set forth God's glory, and be the 

 means of setting forward the salvation of all men ! Some of 

 my friends think that the separation to a " holy function " 

 puts a man into an artificial position with respect to the 

 conduct of his thoughts, words, and acts, and that he is 



